I'm Coming Home
by MangaandMusic
Summary: It's Christmas time, a time of festivity, reconciliation and family, but all Ichigo wants for is Grimmjow to be home from his business trip in time for Christmas. Will Grimmjow make it home, despite all odds? Yaoi, lemon in last chapter and a whole lot of liveliness from one man in particular.
1. The Payphone

It's been a while, hasn't it? First of all, I wanted to make a somewhat festive GrimmIchi fanfic, and this seemed like the most decent idea that I've had in about a month, and in turn, this little gem was born. It kind of wrote itself at first but I then struggled to get motivated to actually sit down and finish it (woops), but I'm glad that I stuck with it. I was inspired by the songs 'Coming Home' by Skylar Grey and 'Payphone' by Maroon 5. Yaoi, so if you don't like, please don't flame/comment etc. Please review/like/favourite/follow and all that jazz. I accept constructive criticisms so if I have forgotten to mention something that's left a plot hole, leave a message. If you also have an idea of ways that I can improve my writing, a message saying how would also be greatly appreciated. I apologise for this being a belated Christmas fanfic, but I hope you all had a Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday and I hope you have a very Happy New Year. With that being said, sit back, relax, enjoy and let's get the show on the road.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters, nor do I own the songs that are mentioned above - but I do love both songs and thought of them as befitting titles for the story and first chapter.**

**I'm Coming Home**

**Chapter 1 – The Payphone**

The cold winter wind blew harshly outside against the surprisingly thin metal that made up the payphone's run-down and unappreciated exterior. Inside was just as bad, if not worse. Each and every wall of the small box was decorated with either slowly aging flyers from various takeaway places, colourful but wasted graffiti and the occasional curse word that was scrawled in some sort of chicken-scratch excuse of his or her handwriting on the windows or surfaces that made up the payphone's interior. I sighed once, knowing full-well that the only reason as to why I had forced myself to even stand in the cramped, stomach-churning payphone in the first place, was to make a phone call that quite frankly, I would have liked to avoid at all costs. I would have been lying if I said that I felt like my usual self right there and then. I wasn't apprehensive, just anxious as to how this one particular phone call could turn out, and I knew that the anxiety was only just a mask behind the porcelain layer of dampened spirits that currently plagued my every waking moment. I slowly reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out my slowly dying phone and some loose change that I had kept from God knows where. In the palm of my hand lay a couple of one-pound coins, a crinkled bank note and various silver and bronze, small change.

Wasting very little time at all, I chose to use two of the few one-pound coins that I had on me and slotted them both into the machine. I didn't expect to get any small change back; in fact, by the time I picked up the phone that originally belonged to the payphone, found the one contact that I was after stored safely in my phone and dialled the numbers that belonged to the one person that I desperately wanted to hear from, but didn't want to call at that particular point intime for I knew that it would only dishearten me more when the conversation would finally end, my breathing had gotten a little harsher. It remained harsh, almost dry and raspy as the dialling tone echoed through the slowly-breaking phone and into my ear. I think for possibly the first time in a while, I felt a similar emotion that closely resembled to being truly alone. It's not hard for someone feel truly alone, even if they are surrounded by a sea of people, and it was only until there came a familiar voice on the other side of the phone that, for the first time since I had entered the payphone, my mind had drawn a blank on me, right when I needed it the most.

"Hello?" That one word alone was enough to temporarily set me back by a couple of seconds. His voice sounded tired, as if he had just walked through the door after a busy day at work only to hear the phone ring for God knows how many times throughout the day. The word itself wasn't fuelled by any venom; if anything, it sounded curious. I knew all-too well that that might be the case for him, or for anyone. Naturally if someone was to call you on an unfamiliar number, the recipient would be a little tense; I knew that I would be. I breathed once; I knew that since the conversation had started mere seconds ago, my breathing had become almost irregular, almost to the point where it had started to sound broken.

"It's me" I gulped once before I spoke. I tried to remain calm but the truth of it all was crystal clear. I was uneasy. I didn't want to be someone who couldn't keep their emotions under control, but right there and then, as time ticked on at an agonisingly slow pace, the emotions that I desired to keep strictly under lock and key had started to arise to the surface like a bubble on the water.

"Ichigo? I'm so glad to hear from you. Is everything okay? How are you? Are you sure you're alright, living in the apartment alone whilst I'm away on this business trip?" the familiar voice proceeded to ask quickly. If I felt even a fraction like myself, I would have scoffed to myself, but I couldn't. Not right there and then.

"Woah, one question at a time, alright?" I responded. The aim of the conversation, particularly on my part, had been to keep it as light as possible. Under normal circumstances, I would feign a smile and possibly a laugh. I knew that whatever I said would only sound forced. For a split second, I looked out of the payphone's window, as if to keep my eye on the outside world. Not only had the wind grew harsher, but it had started to snow gently. I groaned inwardly and felt myself scowl at the predicament that I was in. It was bad enough that Grimmjow wasn't by my side but what added insult to injury was the fact that I never liked the winter season. To me, it always felt cold and miserable, and today of all days seemed to reinforce my disdain for the season.

"Ichigo, are you still there?" the voice questioned. The voice itself worried, as if he still tried to connect with me even after I had hung up and left the area.

"I'm here, Grimmjow. Sorry, just got distracted" I replied solemnly. It was the truth. I had gotten distracted. I knew that I wanted Grimmjow beside me, by me, but with him being near enough halfway around the world, it had taken its toll on the pair of us. He was everything that I wasn't, and everything that I needed, or at least what I thought I needed. Now, I wasn't so sure. Since Grimmjow had travelled to Berlin under the excuse of a 'business trip' over a month ago, I hadn't felt like myself. Under normal circumstances, he would go to work whilst I went to college, and in the evenings, we would cook together, eat together and just relax and talk to one another. Our relationship was far from perfect, but for me, it was more than enough. All I wanted was for Grimmjow to come home, for him to come back to me.

"It's cool. Listen, there's something I've got to tell you. I might not be home for Christmas" Grimmjow slowly replied. Sadness had filled his voice when he spoke, and for a split second, it felt lonely to know that he wouldn't spend Christmas with me. I desperately wanted to say something along the lines of 'It's okay' or 'It's not your fault'. I couldn't say it. It hurt to even think about it there and then. The news was dropped like a bombshell, and I knew that my family wouldn't take it lightly. Since I had starting dating Grimmjow, my family had been supportive about a lot of things, and since then, they had quickly taken Grimmjow in as another member of the family. I remember being happy and relieved about it at first, although slightly annoyed about the fact that Dad practically ran up to the memorial poster of Mom, saying something about how I had grown up and become a man, how Grimmjow and I were going to be together forever and how we would provide the man with grandchildren. Needless to say, it resulted in me beating some sense into the idiot of a man. I couldn't help but scoff to myself at the memory. It was only when I looked out of the payphone's window that I remembered what Grimmjow had said to me just then. Everything around me suddenly felt very cold and lonely. "Ichigo? Is something wrong?" Grimmjow asked, his voice plagued with worry. I nodded, knowing full-well that he wouldn't be able to see my answer.

"I understand. These things happen. It sucks, but hopefully you'll be home soon" I said slowly. I couldn't mask the pain in those words, and I knew that Grimmjow would pick up on it as soon as he heard it. I heard him sigh on the other end of the conversation.

"Yeah, it sucks. If I had the option, I'd get on the next plane home just to be with you. You know that, right?" Grimmjow asked. Something about those words made me feel a little better, but I knew that against all odds, realistically-speaking, Grimmjow might not make it home in time for Christmas. Every day that I spent away from Grimmjow just didn't feel right, and I dreaded to think about how I would feel when the twenty-fifth of December rolled around. Just thinking about it there and then was enough to make me feel uneasy, almost to the point where I started to feel sick to my stomach.

"I know you would, but we'll see each other soon. If you do happen to come home earlier than planned, remember that I'll be over at Dad's place on the twenty-fifth. Yuzu said that she'd cook extra just in case you show up on the day" I smiled somewhat discretely to myself. Something about having Grimmjow on the other side of the conversation eased any feelings of anxiety or unease a little bit, but it was only when I looked out of the payphone's window that my small and somewhat surreal smile vanished, and left me with a feeling that closely resembled Loneliness.

"I know. I'll try to be back before then, but I can't promise anything, Ichigo. This trip's already taken its toll on me. I keep thinking about you when I should be working, and I feel alone whenever I try to sleep at night. I miss you like crazy" Grimmjow sighed heavily, as if he was annoyed about being however many miles away from me. I could understand; I felt exactly the same way. "Listen, I've got to go. There's some stupid meeting that I have to go to. I'll call you tomorrow at some point. See you soon, Ichigo" Grimmjow explained. It sounded like his words pained him, and in a sense, it pained me as well. We both knew that the chances of Grimmjow being home early for Christmas were slim to none, and I was almost positive that the pair of us tried to mask how we truly felt about the situation to our friends. However, behind closed doors, it wasn't easy to keep upbeat about the situation. I was about to reply but the phone cut out. All that echoed through my ear was the monotonous resting tone that the phone held. The snow outside the payphone continued to fall and it seemed to fall heavier and heavier by the second. I stood there in the booth; the phone still pressed against my ear. A part of me longed to hear Grimmjow, even if it was just for a second longer. His voice never came. Begrudgingly, I hung the nearly-broken phone back on itself. I wasn't prepared for the short trek back to the apartment that I shared with Grimmjow but something about being in the payphone for longer than originally planned had made me determined not to stick around any longer. With that mind set, I quickly left the payphone and walked away. It didn't matter where I walked; the heavy heart that lay in my chest right there and then seemed to want to beat to a different rhythm altogether. One that I was unaware of. A lonely beat.


	2. Comforting Words From Family

**Here it is, the second chapter of 'I'm Coming Home'. Hope you enjoy!**

**I'm Coming Home **

**Chapter 2 – Comforting Words From Family**

The days passed at a snail's pace without Grimmjow by my side. It simply amazed me how much of an impact Grimmjow had made to my life. No matter how hard I wished for him to be home, so far, it wasn't going to happen. The snow fall had only grown in intensity and as the wind picked up, it almost made the outside world look like a blizzard. In a sense, it was a blizzard. Both inside and outside. I didn't dare myself to go outside unless I really needed to. Since the morning, I had been collapsed face down on the sofa, lost in thought. Nothing else mattered to me, at least not for today. The twenty-fifth of December was quickly approaching in a matter of hours, and so far, it looked like Grimmjow wouldn't be home for Christmas. For a brief moment, I closed my eyes and buried my head further into the oddly-fragranced pillows that inhabited the couch. I let my mind wander, not caring about anything remotely important, aside from Grimmjow. I would have been tempted to sleep if it wasn't for the phone's insistent ringing at that point. The loud ring of the phone echoed throughout the lonely building, as if it was a bullet ricocheting out of a gun and into a silent haven. I mumbled something, but my own words fell on deaf ears. I was heavily tempted to let the phone ring until the answer machine picked up the call, and as I turned on my back, I looked over to the remains of what used to be a happy home.

The blank screen of the television stared back at me, as if it invitingly said to me 'Please use me. I have nothing to do', whilst the coffee table stood in its place. Pieces of junk mail, the odd DVD case or two and cold and half empty coffee mugs littered the table. I had originally thought that if I kept myself distracted, it wouldn't be half as bad as I thought it would be. I couldn't have been more wrong. There was something about everything that I did that reminded me of Grimmjow. As I looked over at the items that rested messily on the coffee table with dull eyes, it suddenly dawned on me how counterproductive I had been with my time for the past three or four days. By now, the phone had ceased its ringing for all of a few seconds before it rang heavily again. Against my better judgement, I moved away from the couch and went towards the persistent ringing of the phone. I paused as I stood in front of the phone; I didn't want to get my hopes up. _Maybe I should just let it ring?_ I thought to myself as I stared at the phone with dull eyes. _I mean, it's probably nothing important, right?_ _It's probably someone trying to sell me something that I don't need_. I scoffed at the idea and picked the phone up slowly.

"Hello?" I asked and pressed the now silent phone against my ear.

"ICHIGO, MY DARLING SON! WE TRIED CALLING YOU JUST NOW AND YOU DIDN'T PICK UP! WHAT'S WRONG, SON? YOU DON'T LOVE YOUR DEAR DADDY ANYMORE?!" a familiar voice practically shouted down the phone. It didn't take me long to push the phone away from my ear, as if it disgusted me. A part of me instantly flashed back to how the mornings were like when I lived with my dad and sisters, most of it resulted in allowing my dad to either fly out of the bedroom window, onto the floor or into a wall. I smirked to myself; I wasn't that nostalgic a person but something about the amount of liveliness my dad had, despite being in his forties was enough to bring a small smile to my face.

"Do you have to be so loud, Dad? I swear, you're gonna make my ears bleed if you keep shouting at that decibel" I complained lightly. _Some things never change_, I quickly thought to myself and chuckled lightly at the simple-minded thought. "Besides, I was busy earlier" I said. I wasn't lying with what I said. I had been busy, busy being counterproductive.

"OH MASAKI! MY SON DOESN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE! WHERE DID I GO WRONG?" Dad complained loudly, and I imagined him to run over to the wall poster of Mom that stood proudly in the living room. It had been three years since I first met Grimmjow, and within those three years, I had moved out of my family home, entered college, got a part-time job and fell in love with Grimmjow. Part of me wanted to shout at my dad who had more than likely dropped the phone on his end, but instead, I chose to laugh. I knew that I had grown up a bit since my high school days, but when it came to my family, I knew that having a bit of patience was essential.

"Dad, don't just leave Ichi-nii hanging on the other end of the phone" Yuzu's voice was easily distinguishable as I listened quietly to what was happening on the other side of the phone. "Hello, Ichi-nii. How have you been recently?" Yuzu asked as she picked up the phone. _How was I feeling exactly? Did I feel alright because of the fact that I was currently on the phone to my family? Did I feel disheartened to know that I wasn't speaking to Grimmjow right there and then? Did it hurt not speaking to him_? I questioned myself as Yuzu remained quiet on the other side of the phone.

"I'm alright, I guess. What about you and Karin? Are you two alright?" I quickly responded. The last thing I wanted was to make her worry about how I was truly feeling. It was hard to describe exactly how I was feeling. I felt a little disheartened to know that I wasn't speaking to Grimmjow, let alone unsure if he was going to be home for Christmas or not, but also a little relieved to know that there were people who I could count on, especially those who were only a phone call away. Like Rukia and Renji. Rukia and Renji had been childhood friends of mine, and despite the fact that we had ended up going in separate directions when it came to the game of life, we always made sure to be there for each other. Then there was Orihime, Chad and Uryu. I had met Orihime and Uryu when I was in high school and despite the occasional bickering that Uryu and I did, we somehow remained friends. I had met Chad during middle school and we had promised each other to protect one another's backs, both when fighting and in general. I found myself smile a little.

"We're alright. We all miss you and Grimm-nii. How is he, by the way?" I was almost certain that if I was any weaker, I would have hung up the phone and disconnected myself to the world for the rest of the day. I swallowed thickly in an attempt to clear my throat. I didn't trust myself to say much, but I knew that Yuzu knew that he was busy. She was a smart kid, after all. "He's not back from his trip yet, is he?" she asked slowly, as if to test the waters. I nodded, knowing full-well that she wouldn't be able to see my reply.

"Not yet, but he did say that he'll try to be home for Christmas. I told him that if he came home on the twenty-fifth that I would be with you, Karin and Dad for the day" I answered quietly, afraid that my voice would break at any given point.

"I see. I'm sure he'll be home before then, Ichi-nii. You just need to believe in Love. Where there's a will, there's a way, and I'm sure that despite all odds, he'll be home before you know it" Yuzu said happily. It surprised me to know how mature she had grown. She grew up a lot when Mom died but even now, it still surprised me to know that she wasn't a little girl anymore, but a young, capable woman who tried to keep an upbeat look on life. "Hey, Karin. It's Ichi-nii. Do you want to speak to him?" I heard Yuzu call out to her twin. I heard a pair of footsteps come close, and as I waited, I heard Yuzu exchange words with Karin.

"You alright, Ichi-nii?"Karin asked. Her simple question may have sounded blunt to some people, but if anything, I knew that she truly cared just as much as Yuzu and Dad did, if not, a little more. She just didn't say it.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I answered. It was at that point where I was worried that my voice sounded broken, as if I was going to cry like a little kid at any given moment. My mind wandered over to how Grimmjow was doing. It was enough to leave my throat feeling drier than it felt before and my eyes had started to sore.

"You miss him, don't you? Grimmjow, that is" Karin asked, her voice, concerned for me.

"Yeah, I do. A lot" I replied quietly. I was afraid to answer with anything else but the truth, for the fear of hearing not only my heart break but also my voice shatter into thousands of fragments haunted me. To say that the sheer thought of missing Grimmjow was more than enough to make me stay awake most nights, tossing and turning aimlessly as my mind would drift off to where he was, only to then feel like a mindless zombie the following mornings because of the lack of sleep that I had gotten the previous night was an understatement unlike any other. The thought of missing Grimmjow plagued me like a parasite, and as the blizzard roared against the walls of the cold apartment, it only reinforced the negative thoughts that I had regarding the fact that Grimmjow might not be home for Christmas. I don't know what overcame me at that point but before I had even realised it myself, the phone had been tightly pressed against the receiver, as if the conversation had ended. In a sense, it had. It had ended when I had confessed just how much I missed Grimmjow. Before I vaguely remembered hanging up the phone, I had heard Karin say something. It hadn't been much; in fact, it had only been three words long, but the meaning and strength of those words had managed to shove me out of my dispirited stupor, forcefully but lovingly, and as those three little words played on throughout my mind, I began to feel something that I had originally discarded the moment when winter had came. That feeling had been Hope and the words that were spoken, 'Stay strong, Ichi-nii'".

**I wanted to add Karin, Yuzu and Isshin into the mix, and jazz it up a fair bit. I had fun coming up with Isshin's lines.**


	3. A Christmas Miracle

**Third chapter of 'I'm Coming Home'. Enjoy!**

**I'm Coming Home**

**Chapter 3 – A Christmas Miracle**

Something didn't feel right when I stirred from slumber on the twenty-fifth of December, and it was only when I turned my attention to the small, almost broken calendar that was barely able to sit up on the desk, that I realised that today of all days wouldn't feel...magical. It must have easily been around nine in the morning, the winter sun shone through what little gap there was between the window and the curtains but that didn't matter to me. I had considered just staying in between the sheets of the double bed for a good part of the day, but I knew that if I did just that, Dad would give me an earful about it over the phone. A light scoff past my lips at the small, absent-minded thought, and for the next couple of minutes, all I did was stay completely still in the bed as the sheets warmly tempted me to spend the rest of the day in between them. It wasn't until a faint purring sound came from behind the bedroom door, and for a split second, I thought it was Grimmjow's car pulling into the drive. No matter how much I tried to hide the anticipation as I rushed out of the bed and towards the window, thrusting open the curtains as I did, a car was nowhere to be seen on the drive. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but the purring still came gently. I smiled when I saw a black and white kitten enter the room as quietly as possibly, as if it was attempting to sneak up on me, only to then pounce. Her light blue eyes met my own happily, and I knew exactly what she was after; Breakfast. I watched the kitten playfully weave between my legs, only to then sit elegantly by my feet. She purred gently once, as if to say 'Feed me. Now'. A faint smile spread across my face as I stretched.

"Okay, Pantera. I'm on it" I said, mainly to myself and walked towards the door. The icy feel of the doorknob against my hand felt a little bitter, but as I pushed the door open, the kitten mewed happily and began to run past me and towards the kitchen, only to stop now and then to check to see if I was really coming to feed her. I listened as she mewed impatiently and slinked around the backs of my heels whilst I prepared her breakfast, and by the time the dish was sat down on the floor, she had left my side and quickly moved in a frantic yet somehow elegant manner to her breakfast. Somehow, I felt a smile grow as I briefly watched her scoff her breakfast down in a haphazard way. Time after that event passed by surprisingly quickly and before I knew it, the clock on the oven read eleven twenty three. Within five minutes, I had managed to gather what I needed, which primarily consisted of two medium-sized plastic bags that contained Dad's, Yuzu's, Karin's and Grimmjow's Christmas presents in, sent Grimmjow a quick 'Merry Christmas' text that lacked any physical festivity behind the message, and left the isolated apartment. I slowly walked towards the Kurosaki clinic and within the first ten minutes, I truly felt unlike my usual self. It didn't help that the snow crunched bitterly against my feet, nor did it help that the snow fell freely around me. My mind instantly flashed back to this time last year. It hadn't been much, but I remember how Grimmjow smiled serenely as the snow fell freely around the pair of us as we walked through a snow-covered children's park.

As the memory flooded back into me, I could feel a tear cascade down my cheek. Something within me had snapped and for what felt like an eternity, I stood fixed in place. I looked up to the winter sky, and wished with all of my heart, soul and being that Grimmjow was here with me. I hadn't heard from him since the last time we had spoken, and that had been on the twenty-first of December. I knew that the reason as to why he hadn't phoned after that time was because he was busy with Work, and if it was important, I didn't want to interrupt or distract him from anything important. I finally managed to snap out of my depressing stupor and as I continued to walk the familiar route back to my family home, I soon felt a little better. I wasn't sure what had done it; whether it was the fact that I was on my way home or whether it was because I knew that my family, as mad and eccentric as they were, were going to keep me company on today of all days, I wasn't sure but nonetheless, it seemed to do the trick of making me feel a little better. I shortly stood outside the front door of my family home. I had resisted the temptation to roll my eyes at how the exterior of the house was decorated, but what did make me smile was how the wreath looked against the front door. It looked, quite simply put, beautiful. _Yuzu certainly does have Mom's flair when it comes Arts and Crafts_, I smirked sincerely to myself. A part of me felt a little on the nervous side; my reason for why I felt the way I did, none whatsoever. I knocked gently on the wooden door and waited patiently for someone to answer. The cold winter air chilled me to the bone, but somehow, I felt warm inside. Even if Grimmjow wasn't going to be home today, I was determined to at least try to have a little fun. I heard Yuzu's voice from the other side of the door, followed by a pair of rushed footsteps. As the door opened, I was greeted by not only Yuzu, but Karin as well. It surprised me, definitely in a good way.

"Welcome home, Ichi-nii" Yuzu smiled brightly and opened the door further, as if she had granted me access into the house.

"It's good to be home. How have you two been?" I asked as I walked through the door.

"We're alright, thanks. Although, Dad's been pretty energetic this morning. I swear, he's the one who has the mental age of a pre-schooler, despite being in his forties" Karin said, almost bored, but her smile didn't support what she had said. In fact, she looked incredibly happy, and so did Yuzu. I couldn't help but shake the feeling that the pair of them was in cahoots with each another over something. Something that I had been kept in the dark about. I briefly wondered if that was the case as I slipped out of my worn-down sneakers and entered further into the scarily-familiar house. I smiled as Dad looked at me from where he stood next to the wall poster of Mom.

"ICHIGO! MERRY CHRISTMAS, MY NUMBER ONE SON! IT'S BEEN A WHILE, HASN'T IT? OH MASAKI, LOOK! OUR BOY'S COME HOME TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH US!" Dad practically cried and rushed over to the wall poster of Mom before doing anything else. I smiled sincerely. _It's just like old times_, I thought quietly to myself, only to then feel a little lonely. I realise that the word 'perfect' doesn't even to begin to convey what the atmosphere felt like, but it was close enough, and I knew deep down, in my heart of hearts, that if Grimmjow was here, it would be as close to perfect as physically possible.

"Things never change around here, that's for sure" I said quietly, almost like a whisper as I looked on at the scene that played out in front of me. For possibly the first time in a long time, I truly felt a sense of gratitude, almost to the point where it became difficult to distinguish between the feeling I got when I was grateful and the feeling I got when I was happy. The majority of the day passed by somewhat quickly, but definitely not blissfully. Christmas dinner had been as rambunctious as I had predicted it to be, but it had also been enjoyable and possibly, for a want of a better word, memorable. In more ways than one. Dad ended up bawling into tears which prompted Yuzu to bring out a box of tissues, and after that escapade, there was a matter between Karin and Dad which ended up with Dad being thrown into a wall by a highly embarrassed Karin, followed by a chair soon afterwards. It must have easily been late afternoon, around four or so, when a gentle knock came from the door.

"I've got it" I announced and shifted off of the couch before heading for the door. My mind wondered to where Grimmjow was, and I briefly wondered if he was celebrating Christmas alone, or with a couple of his work colleagues. I knew that he would be alright, but it didn't feel quite the same. I slowly opened the door, and was fully prepared to slam the wooden door back on its hinges if it was carol singers but I froze in place. His striking electric blue hair, which happened to be completely natural to boot, his light blue eyes, his 6'3, muscular build and warm complexion had me almost moved to tears at that point. "Grimm...jow?!" I asked in disbelief, my jaw dropping and possibly breaking in multiple places as it hit the floor from the unexpected surprise. I had no idea. There had been no messages left on my phone, nor did anyone tell me that Grimmjow had returned.

"Merry Christmas, Ichi" he smiled ever so casually, as if the surprise meant nothing to him. I knew that that wasn't the case. I knew deep down that he was just as pleased to see me as I was to see him. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You going to let me in or let me freeze out here?" he asked before a large smile broke out on his face. I forced myself to move aside so that Grimmjow could enter the building. As soon as I closed the front door, I heard Grimmjow slip out of his shoes, drop several bags clumsily onto the laminate flooring and hold onto me, as if his life depended on it. His touch, and the smell of him, had been something I missed dearly. The word 'miracle' couldn't have done any other word justice to how it was physically possible for Grimmjow to be here of all places, to be home. "Did you miss me?" he asked quickly as he let me briefly slid through his fingers so that I could turn around. All I could do was look into his eyes and as I felt my hands grab a hold of his shirt, I felt truly happy for the first time in about a month, if not a little longer. "Hey, Ichigo?! Say something already" Grimmjow's voice rang in my eyes; his voice plagued with Worry. I couldn't, no; I didn't want to say anything. I needed to convey what I felt right there and then with actions, not words.

Knowing full-well that Dad and my sisters could be watching as the scene unfolded, I allowed my hands to clench a firm hold of Grimmjow's shirt and pulled him down into a searing kiss. With my eyes closed, I allowed myself to feel every single inch of Grimmjow's mouth as the kiss grew more intense and passionate as each second passed, and as it did, I felt like a completely different person._How long has it been since Grimmjow was last with me? It definitely has to be longer than a month, but he hasn't changed in the slightest. Not by a long shot. God, I've missed him like crazy_**, **I thought sentimentally to myself. His lips tasted like fresh peppermint mixed with a little bit of gingerbread and who knows how much coffee that lay hidden in amongst the unforgettable texture of his lightly chapped moment might have been incredibly cliché, even to the point where some people would have made a gagging noise as a response to how cliché the moment was, but nevertheless, the moment itself was definitely nothing short of magical. I felt Grimmjow relax after the initial shock of it all, and I soon felt one of his arms wrap itself around my body in order to support me from when I had gently risen off of the balls of my feet andonto my tiptoes in an almost lust-driven attempt to fill the significant height difference between the pair of us. I felt Grimmjow smile against my lips, and into the kiss itself, just as I felt the need to break apart for some much needed air. I watched Grimmjow's face contort into a facial expression that combined Confusion and Happiness, and as I did, I felt the smile on my face grow immensely, almost to the point where the smile began to beam from ear to ear.

"Of course I missed you" I smiled gently and held onto Grimmjow for a little longer. I felt Grimmjow's breath steady itself out and as he wrapped his arms around my body, I felt at ease with myself, almost to the point where it wouldn't have been hard for me to cry at that point. "Welcome home" I smiled as I buried my face in amongst Grimmjow's slightly crumpled shirt. He didn't seem to mind though.

"I'm home, Ichi. I'm home" I heard Grimmjow whisper to me softly. I could sense three pairs of eyes watch the scene play out in front of them, but right there and then, I didn't care if the whole world had seen what had just happened. Grimmjow was home for Christmas; he was home and stood in front of me at such a close proximity, and to me, that was all that mattered. _Miracles can happen, especially at Christmas. Christmas is definitely a magical time of year_, I smiled impishly to myself as that particular thought crossed my mind.

**I couldn't resist the temptation of adding a kitten into the story**


	4. I'm Home, Where I Belong

**The last chapter of 'I'm Coming Home'. To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted to write this chapter or not (I suppose either way would have been fine at the end of the day) but I'm glad I managed to write this, even though I still find it incredibly awkward to write a somewhat decent sex scene. With that, please enjoy the final chapter of ****'I'm Coming Home'.**

**I'm Coming Home**

**Chapter 4 – I'm Home, Where I Belong**

The next two or three hours flew past unbelievably quickly after that moment, and before it could get any darker than it was already, Grimmjow and I bid our goodbyes to my family. I couldn't help but smile to myself all the way home as I listened to Grimmjow talk about how much of a wasted trip it had turned out to be in the end. I hadn't expected it to be a productive trip, but for Grimmjow to say that it was pretty much a waste of time and money when it came to flights and accommodation, it did surprise me. The short walk back to the apartment that we shared felt even shorter with Grimmjow beside me. My fingers felt cold against the key to the apartment door and as I opened the door, I heard Grimmjow smirk behind me. I missed it. I missed him.

"You owe me big time" I said, mainly to myself as I finally forced the door to open. I quickly pulled the key out of the door and walked into the building, shortly followed by Grimmjow himself. I heard the door close back on its hinges as I threw the keys into the small key dish that lay on the mahogany cabinet, along with several photographs that mainly consisted of the pair of us that our friends and my family had taken.

"Then, let me make it worth your time" Grimmjow almost purred before I felt my back come into contact with the newly-closed door. I felt my body being rejected by the door at first before being welcomed back into its easily-forgiving embrace. I felt Grimmjow's lips dance passionately on my own and as he pressed his body lightly into mine, it became evident that the pair of us needed more from each other. A light moan escaped my lips and it gave Grimmjow the opportunity to slip his tongue past my lips. I felt my body soon stumble forward without much of a sense of control as the kiss intensified and before long, I felt the backs of my legs come into contact with the back of the sofa. Instinctively, I reached out to Grimmjow and grabbed a hold of his shirt, and at that point, I felt Grimmjow's lips leave my own. "Don't worry, Ichi. I'm not going to let you fall. I have something better in mind for you" he whispered suggestively to me; our eyes remained fixated on the others' for as long as possible. I was mesmerised by the look in Grimmjow's eyes that I didn't feel one of his hands take a hold of one of my own as he led me towards the staircase and up the stairs. It didn't take long for Grimmjow to reach the bedroom that we shared together and before any sense of realisation kicked in for me, I felt my body being pressed against the sheets of the double bed. I felt the urge to protest but as I opened my mouth, Grimmjow's lips attacked my own once again in a mad, lust-driven frenzy, his tongue mapping out every inch of my mouth as he did.

Within seconds, I felt Grimmjow press into my body again, but with a little more force as the kiss intensified ten-fold per second, and it wasn't long before not only did I need to breathe but also, I needed more. I needed to feel his breath dance exotically against my skin, I needed to feel all of him, but most of all, I longed to dance on the same soul wavelength as his soul did.I watched as Grimmjow slowly pulled away from me and smiled serenely, as if he wanted to make the moment last a lifetime, and a little bit more. I remained silent as he pressed his forehead gently against my own. We didn't speak; we didn't need to. I knew that my heart was beating wildly against my chest, and for a split second, I was afraid that it would burst from the sheer intensity of its animalistic beats. When Grimmjow finally latched his lips onto my neck, a small uncharacteristic needy moan left my being and only grew louder when I felt Grimmjow smirk against the sensitive skin. All sense of reasoning left my mind as Grimmjow's tongue danced erotically against my neck, alternating between gentle nips of his teeth and soft, feather-like kisses against the flesh. A part of me somehow managed to grab a hold of Grimmjow's jacket and push it off of his body before my hands found themselves pressed against Grimmjow's thin shirt. A long moan slipped past my lips as Grimmjow continued to toy with the sensitive skin, and somehow, despite being pleasurably tortured, I managed to unbutton Grimmjow's shirt before letting the article of clothing slide off of his muscular frame to his elbows. The offended item of clothing refused to budge until Grimmjow pulled it off of his body, letting the fabric free fall onto the floor in a crumpled heap, along with his recently kicked-off shoes. My mind was on auto-pilot as my hands reached down to the hem of my long-sleeved shirt, and within seconds, it lay on the floor. I felt Grimmjow's hands trail themselves along my body before they stopped at my clothed hips.

I looked deeply into his eyes and felt his fingers run freely towards the button of my jeans, and I felt him smirk against my skin as his fingers carefully unbuttoned my jeans. It didn't take Grimmjow to remove the article of clothing off of my body with some help from me before doing the same to his own. I watched through half-lidded eyes as Grimmjow pressed his body into mine and quickly kicked off my trainers, only to then find Grimmjow grind against my hips. God knows how many moans, murmurs and breathy gasps left our lips and before long, as Grimmjow's hands freely roamed my body, any sense of pleasure either caused my blood to run to either my cheeks, dusting them in a heavily-diluted red colour, or to my erection, causing it to strain uncomfortably against my boxers. The more Grimmjow ground his hips into mine, the more I moaned as I felt his hard-on collide with my own. My breathing hitched as Grimmjow's fingers slowly and lightly brushed over my nipples, adding more pleasurable, sweet torture to the high amount that I was currently feeling. My blood rush immediately to my cheeks, dusting them in a vivid vermillion red colour, and whilst my cheeks burned from the sinfully pleasurable torture that Grimmjow made me go through, it didn't take me long at all to arch my back off the bed and grind my hips into his', in a mad, lust-driven attempt to relieve myself.

In turn, I heard him moan in an almost needy way; I couldn't hold back the smirk that grew across my face as I continued to grind shamelessly against him, my body now completely acting on its own accord and in synch with Grimmjow's body. It was always the little things that Grimmjow did that got to me the most, whether that would be in general or before sex, and as Grimmjow continued to torture me in the way that I knew that he knew that I loved, I felt not only incredibly hard but also aroused, almost to the point that if Grimmjow continued to torture me the way he did, I would, without a shadow of a doubt, cum right there and then. The moans that left my mouth only grew louder and more frequent, and just when I thought Grimmjow had me right where he wanted me, his ministrations stopped entirely. All I heard was him smirk against my neck before he placed feather-like kisses from the juncture where my neck and shoulder blade connected all the way down to my navel. I watched through glassed eyes as Grimmjow slowly peeled the final article of clothing off of my body, only to then watch his fingers take a hold of my length and begin to slowly stroke it. It wasn't hard to mistake the familiar but steady increase in pleasure course throughout my body, only to stop when Grimmjow looked up at me. His eyes instantly found my own, and his smile grew immensely when I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me.

"Hurry up, already. I want you bad, Grimmjow" I whispered sultry into his eyes. Grimmjow smirked and brought his tongue down to my appendage, before he gave a few attentive licks, as if to test the waters. It didn't take Grimmjow to take me inch by agonising inch, and I couldn't help but shudder at the sensation of it all. It didn't take me long to feel like I was on the edge, and with Grimmjow creating small but delicious vibrations against my cock, it felt like he would finally just push me off of the edge. He did, and I shuddered as I felt myself come in his mouth. Grimmjow quickly swallowed the majority of it, but as he pulled away from me, I couldn't help but stare and lick my lips unconsciously as a teardrop of semen escaped the corners of Grimmjow's mouth. He smirked; the smirk itself was casual but the way it sounded made it sound animalistic. The look in his eyes, however, looked tame, as if he was cautiously planning how not to break me. I smiled a little. "Don't give me that look. I can take it" I stated simply as my breath threatened to escape my being as a result of his little stunt. With that, I quickly took a hold of one of his hands and brought three of his fingers to my mouth. I felt Grimmjow's eyes bore into me as I coated his fingers lightly in saliva, running my tongue against them in the most sinful but innocent way possible. Under normal circumstances, I would have allowed Grimmjow to take charge, but tonight, I needed to show him how much I loved him. With that conviction alone, I managed to push Grimmjow away from me and onto the bed before I straddled his hips. It didn't take Grimmjow long to understand what I wanted and with that, I felt the first finger slip past the tight ring of muscle and inside of me.

The sensation wasn't a foreign one by any stretch of the imagination, well not to me at least, but it had been missed. I felt my cheeks burn immensely from the sensation that I felt, and as Grimmjow allowed a second finger to slip into me, I felt my eyes screw themselves tightly, the blush on my cheeks grow larger as it ran across the bridge of my nose and across my cheeks and my length become harder than I thought was physically possible. Despite my best attempts to hold back the moans that burned the back of my throat and chest like strong, bitter Alcohol, it was no use as Grimmjow slowly stretched me in a scissoring motion. Before long, any sense of underlying hesitation disappeared from my mind and I found myself rock slowly against his fingers, moaning softly as I did. A third finger soon found its way inside of me and I allowed moan after moan to leave my being as Grimmjow's fingers continued to stretch me, preparing me for what was to come next. It soon became hard to distinguish the difference between my moans and Grimmjow's, and as unadulterated moan after moan filled the room, I felt myself drifting closer and closer to the edge. Somehow, in the midst of moans, lust-driven motives and God knows what else, I managed to free Grimmjow off his boxers before allowing them to slip between my grasp as they fell to the floor in a pile, along with the rest of our clothing.

I didn't have time to feel empty in the short time it had taken Grimmjow finger's to leave me because before I had given Grimmjow enough time to comprehend what was going on, I lowered myself onto him at such a force that threatened to eradicate any lingering moans out of my chest, mouth and body, his hands resting steadily against my hips. The initial breach had been intense but also wanted, particularly on my part, and it had caused a small, breath-induced gasp to slip past my lips and linger in the atmosphere like a didn't take me long to adjust to Grimmjow's size, mainly because he wouldn't let me as I felt him pull out of me, only to thrust back into me with an intensity and power unlike any other. I moaned wantonly in synch with Grimmjow's quiet but ever present grunts, only before his grunts turned into a string of curses, most of it was about how tight I was. I didn't care much at that point and allowed Grimmjow to take control my body in a way that made me feel like I was on Cloud Nine. That much was evident in the amount of force he used as he thrust into me time and time again, hitting my prostate dead-on every single time. It didn't take Grimmjow to make me moan without restraint; it never did and that was the way I liked.

"nngh, Grimm...I'm gonna..." I moaned breathily into Grimmjow's ear as he continued to thrust into me, his speed increasing ever so slightly along with the amount of power behind his thrusts.

"Hold on Ichi..." Grimmjow leant up and purred softly into my ear. His voice was soft and strangely composed. How he managed to make his voice sound composed at that point was beyond my comprehension, and through lust-glassed eyes, I saw and felt one of Grimmjow's hand slip in between his body and my own, and I moaned in pleasure loudly as his hand clasped around my aching length for the second time that night. His hand began to stroke my hard-on agonisingly slowly, but somehow in time to his thrusts, and as he did, I moaned shamelessly but also in a way that made the moment raw, lust-driven and unadulterated. It didn't take Grimmjow long to reduce to me to wanton mewls, shameless moans and breath-induced gasps, and it didn't take a genius to work out that Grimmjow was also drawing closer to the climax. I soon felt Grimmjow gently press his forehead against my own as he thrust into me repeatedly, before he placed soft, lingering kisses against my skin in an attempt to soothe me. I felt my body shudder and my breath hitch as I came on Grimmjow's chest heavily. It didn't take Grimmjow much longer after that until he came deep within me with a low string of curses as he did. Our heavy breathing intermingled with one another's for the next moment or two, along with themissed but familiar scent of sex and the light sheet of sweat that adorned our bodies.

"I missed you, Grimm. You know that, right?" I smiled softly as I forced my nearly-unresponsive body off of his' and collapsed next to him in an ungraceful matter. It didn't take long for my body to respond to Grimmjow's touch as he pulled me closer to him and kissed me lightly but passionately on the lips.

"Yeah, I know. Same here, Ichi" Grimmjow replied in what appeared to be a low, quiet whisper. His voice alone was enough for me, and I felt like the luckiest person on the face of the planet right there and then as I closed my eyes and rested my head against his chest. "Hey, before I forget. There's something that I want to ask you" Grimmjow suddenly stated, as if he had just remembered something. His abrupt question had prompted me to open my eyes, raise an eyebrow and look at him with a confused look plastered all over my face. "Do you remember the first time we ever kissed?" he abruptly asked. I was taken aback by his question, but I found myself nod nevertheless as I slowly peeled away from the bed, only to prop myself up by my elbow and turn to look at him from what was a naturally comfortable angle. I watched Grimmjow smile from his position on the bed. "I do too" With that, Grimmjow leant in closer to me, brushed one of his hands against my cheek tenderly before he allowed the palm of his hand and his fingers to rest against my skin and kissed me softly, his lips gentle against my own, as if he was afraid to hurt me. I knew that that wasn't the case. The main feelings conveyed in the kiss were purity, simplicity and a whole lot of love, just like the first kiss we had ever shared.

"Merry Christmas, Grimm. You're home now" I chuckled softly and held him close to me after his lips left mine.

"Merry Christmas, Ichi. Yeah, I'm home, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now" I heard Grimmjow reply and smile serenely as he wrapped his arms around my body, as if to seal me away from the outside world. I closed my eyes and nuzzled my head further into his chest. I heard his heart steadily beat against his chest in a rhythmic way and for the first time in what felt like longer than an eternity, I felt like myself and that was because of Grimmjow. I knew that Grimmjow was home for Christmas, I knew that he was home beside me; I knew that he was home. Where he belonged. That, for me, was the best Christmas present that Grimmjow could have ever given to me, and it was one that I treasured.


End file.
